Buckle with function of untwisting fastening straps

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a buckle with a function of untwisting fastening straps, in which a male and a female member constituting the buckle engage with each other in a one-touch manner and both members each connected to fastening straps freely rotate along with a twisting of the straps. The buckle consists of a male member connected to one end of a strap, and a female member removably engaged with two fitting clamps of the male member at a clamp insert opening thereof. A rotary strap connector is connected to one end of another strap and coupled to the female member in such a way that the rotary strap connector is coupled to a connector holder of the female member so as to freely rotate relative to the female member without being undesirably separated from the female member. The rotary strap connector is covered with a cover at each of upper and lower open ends thereof through elastic fitting engagement.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates, in general, to a buckle with a function of untwisting fastening straps and, in particular, to a buckle with a function of untwisting fastening straps, in which a male and a female member constituting the buckle engage with each other in a one-touch manner and both members each connected to fastening straps freely rotate along with a twisting of the straps.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] A conventional buckle, which is used in a safety belt of an automobile or a fastening strap of a sack, consists of two members capable of engaging with each other in a one-touch manner. Each of the two members is connected to a fastening strap or a strap of a safety belt, and the separated fastening straps or the separated straps of the safety belt are connected to or separated from each other by properly manipulating a locking hook constituting one member to engage the two members with each other or separate them from each other.

[0005] However, the two members do not rotate but are fixed in their positions when the members constituting the buckle engage with each other, and so twisting of the fastening straps consisting of leathers or clothes cannot be readily prevented.

[0006] Accordingly, a user usually feels uncomfortable due to the twisted fastening straps in contact with his/her hands or shoulders when the user holds the sack in his/her hand or shoulders the sack, or when the user uses a safety belt of a baby carriage or of an automobile.

[0007] Furthermore, the user using such a conventional buckle suffers from disadvantages of an inconvenience of untwisting the twisted straps and a poor appearance of the fastening straps owing to wrinkling of the straps when the twisted strap is not untwisted for a lengthy period of time. Additionally, the twisted portion of the strap becomes thinner than a not twisted portion of the strap, and so the fastening strap is readily snapped when a heavy load is applied to the strap.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to avoid the above disadvantages, and to provide a buckle with a function of untwisting fastening straps, in which a male and a female member engage with each other in a one-touch manner and both members each connected to fastening straps freely rotate along with a twisting of the fastening strap. The buckle can be applied to a safety belt of an automobile or fastening straps of a sack requiring a convenience and durability, and the buckle of the present invention satisfies the need.

[0009] Based on the present invention, the above objects can be accomplished by a provision of a buckle with a function of untwisting fastening straps, comprising a male member connected to one end of a strap; a female member removably engaged with fitting clamps of the male member at a clamp insert opening thereof; and a rotary strap connector connected to one end of another strap and coupled to the female member in such a way that the rotary strap connector is coupled to a connector holder of the female member so as to freely rotate relative to the female member without being separated from the female member. The rotary strap connector is covered with a cover at each of upper and lower open ends thereof through elastic fitting engagement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a buckle with a function of untwisting fastening straps according to the present invention, in which a female member having a rotary strap connector engages with a male member;

[0012]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the buckle of FIG. 1, with its rotary strap connector rotated at an angle of 90° to be vertically positioned;

[0013]FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the buckle with the function of untwisting fastening straps according to the present invention; and

[0014]FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the buckle with the function of untwisting fastening straps of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] A detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be given, below. Traditional fastening straps each connected to a female member and a rotary strap connector are not illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4.

[0016] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, illustrated is a buckle with a function of untwisting fastening straps, in which a rotary strap connector 30 connected to one end of a first strap (not shown) is connected to a female member 20 removably engaging with a male member 10 connected to one end of a second strap (not shown) in such a way that the rotary strap connector 30 is capable of rotating around a connector holder 23 of the female member 30. Particularly, FIG. 2 illustrates the buckle with its rotary strap connector 30 rotated at an angle of 90° to be vertically positioned.

[0017] Referring to FIG. 3, illustrated is the exploded buckle of the present invention before the rotary strap connector 30 rotatably connected to the female member 20 through the agency of the connector holder 23 of the female member 20 is covered with a cover 31 at each of upper and lower open ends thereof through elastic fitting engagement.

[0018] Turning now to FIG. 4, a sectional view of the buckle of FIG. 1 is illustrated, in which the rotary strap connector 30 is connected to the female member 20 through the agency of the connector holder 23 of the female member 20.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the male member 10 constituting the buckle of the present invention has a slot at one end thereof, so the male member 10 is connected to one end of the second strap, like a conventional buckle; and two fitting clamps 11 positioned at the other end thereof so as to engage the male member 10 with the female member 20 at a clamp insert opening 21 of the female member 20.

[0020] Furthermore, the female member 20 comprises locking hooks 22 for readily removing the male member 10 from the female member 20 by compressing the elastic locking hooks 22, and a connector holder 23 positioned at a center of one end of the female member 20 in such a way that the connector holder 23 is protruded from the end of the female member 20 so as to rotatably connect the rotary strap connector 30 to the female member 20, different from a conventional female member comprising a slot for connecting the female member to one end of a fastening strap.

[0021] The connector holder 23 of the female member 20 has a stop head 24 used as a stopper for preventing undesired separation of the connector holder 23 from the female member 20. The stop head 24 is positioned at an end of the holder 23, and the rotary strap connector 30 is rotatably connected to the female member 20 in such a way that the connector holder 23 of the female member 20 is penetrated through a portion of the rotary strap connector 30. The rotary strap connector 30 is covered with a cover 31 at each of upper and lower open ends thereof.

[0022] Each cover 31 is provided on its lower surface with a bearing flange 33 at a center and two elastic lugs 32 at both side ends thereof. The bearing flange 33 has a semicircular cutout at its edge so as to rotatably support the connector holder 23 such that the flange 33 does not obstruct a smooth rotation of the connector 30 relative to the connector holder 23. The cover 31 firmly engages with the rotary strap connector 30 at each of the upper and lower open ends of the rotary strap connector 30 by the elastic lugs 32. In addition, the rotary strap connector 30 has a slot at one end thereof so as to connect the rotary strap connector 30 to one end of the first strap, like the male member 10.

[0023] As described above, the buckle of the present invention comprises the female member 20, the male member 10 removably engaged with the female member 20, and the rotary strap connector 30 rotatably connected to the female member 20. Two fastening straps are connected to the male member 10 and the rotary strap connector 30, respectively, and two fitting clamps 11 of the male member 10 engage with the female member 20 at the clamp insert opening 21 of the female member 20 to connect the separated fastening straps to each other.

[0024] Even if the male member 10 engages with the female member 20 while a strap is twisted, the rotary strap connector 30 rotatably connected to the female member 20 rotates along with the twisting of the strap and so the twist of the strap is structurally restrained.

[0025] The two fitting clamps 11 of the male member 10 are easily separated from the clamp insert opening 21 of the female member 20 by compressing the elastic locking hooks 22 positioned at both sides of the female member 20.

[0026] Therefore, the buckle with a function of untwisting fastening straps according to the present invention is advantageous in that the rotary strap connector 30 freely rotates along with a twisting of a fastening strap even if the fastening strap is twisted, and so the twisted strap is untwisted, thereby preventing a user from feeling discomfort due to the twisted strap in contact with his/her hand or shoulder.

[0027] The buckle with the function of untwisting fastening straps according to the present invention, which can be applied to a safety belt of a baby carriage or of an automobile, and a fastening strap of a trunk, has an effect of solving a disadvantage of twisting of the safety belt or the fastening strap, as well as high durability.

[0028] The present invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology used is intended to be in the nature of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, it is to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A buckle with a function of untwisting fastening straps, comprising: a male member connected to one end of a strap; a female member removably engaged with fitting clamps of the male member at a clamp insert opening thereof; and a rotary strap connector connected to one end of another strap and coupled to the female member in such a way that the rotary strap connector is coupled to a connector holder of the female member so as to freely rotate relative to the female member without being separated from said female member, said rotary strap connector being covered with a cover at each of upper and lower open ends thereof through fitting engagement. 